Golf tee and target



Mayl l ,1926. w. HICKS GOLF TE AND TARGET Filed 'oc t, 26,. 1925 2Shets-She'at 1 May 11,1926. 1,583,830

W. E..HICK$ GOLF TEE AND TARGET Phtented May 11, 1926.

w'ILLIAu a. mans, on ST. Louis, mrs'sotmr.

GOLF'IEE annraaenr."

Application filed October 26, 1925. Serial No. 64,719.

,This invention relates toteesfor golf balls and the like, and withregard to certain more specific'features'to a combined tee and target.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted theprovision'pfa portable tee which carries with it a target,

whereby a given point of the object mounted thereon may be aimed at; theprovision of a tee which before mounting an object thereon substantiallyindicates the future direction of flight of said object from the tee,

if the object is struck under guidance of said target; the" provision ofan elongated. .or

round tee which seats a ball; the provision of such a tee as describedwhich is light and which may be folded or otherwise put into Y a compactform for carriage thereof; theprovision of a'tee such as described whlchis easily opened for use; one which may beeconomically yet accuratelymade in quan-.

tities; and one whichshall be neat and attractive in appearance.

Otherobjects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists of the elements and combination ofelements, fea-' tures of construction, and arrangements of partswhichwill be exemplified 1n the structure hereinafter described and the scopeof the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings in which are illustrated various possibleembodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of tee, showing theapplication of a golf ball thereto in dotted lines,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the preferred form of tee and shows part of theball in dotted lines; I

Fig. 3'is a plan view of the preferred form of tee folded for carriageand shows in dotted lines a partially sprung position of the tee;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a form of the ice similar to the preferredform but contructed in a modified manner;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 4, showing a-portion of a ball in dottedlines;

ig. 6 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 5, and shows in dottedlines a partially sprung position of the device; Fig. 7 is a sideelevation similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of the device;

hat

corrugated, crimped, or otherwise prepafied showing the device partiallyopen;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the Fig. 7 form, showing the device folded forcarriage, and.

shows in dotted lines a partially sprung 6 position thereof I Fig. 10 isa side elevation-similar to'Figl- 1 "1 of another modified form of thedevice;

Fig. '11 is a planview of the device shown in 10, and shows a golfballin dotted 55 lines; I e

Fig. 12 illustrates the stretch-out viewof the device shown-in Fig. 10;a

. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of Fig. 12, and

shows in alternate position, the shape of 70 the material beforepacking;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1, showing the applicationof another modified form; a

Fig. 15 is aplan view of the device illustrated in Fig. v14, butillustrates it in a flattened position; v Fig. 16 is a side elevation ofFig. 15;, Fig. 17 is a top plan view of Fig. 7;

- Fig. 18 is a. vertical sectional view of another form, showing theapplication of aball in dotted lines;

Fig.l9 is a Fig. 18, showing the ball in dotted lines; and

F1g. 20 is a view showing the manner in 35 which the last form may 'bepacked or nested.

S1m1lar referencecharacters indicate cor responding Referring now moreparticularly to Fig. 1, there is illustrated at the numeral 1 a golf teecomprising a strip of cardboard or like material, which is adapted to bescored,

for bending along specific lines. This strip of material, with'regard toits. length, is laterally scored by meansof score lines 3. The scorelines .3 are preferably arranged vertically when the device is ativeposition. They are formed in parallel fashion and extend along thelength of strip 1 for some distance as illustrated in Figs. '1 and 2.

At Fig. 2, the creases or score lines 3 are sto and extensions 9 andgrally with said strip.

The extensions 9 and '11 may comprise one of any-number of ped 11 areprovided i nte-.

g. 8 is a plan view of the Fig. 7 form, I

plan view of the device of parts throughout the several views of thedrawings.

put'into operpoints such as shown at 5 and 7 of shapes such as may suitthe fancy of a designer of the device.

However,

such as to slope downwardlyas the distance and scored as described, theportions V m -11 are bent backwardly one upon the other should be notedand glued or otherwise' fastened together. flatlgy, at allpoints. exceptat the ears 15. It that the number of spaces between the -score lines 3is preferablymade' -of an uneven order. (although not necesformed withregardto the other material.

21 0f the tions 9 and 11.

only necessary to sarily so), space 17 shown in Fig. 2 becomes laterallyglued portions 9 and 11 The purpose of this w ll appear hereinafter. Thestructure so far escribed is also shown in'solid-line POSllilOll' inFig. 3. A score line 19- may, if desired, be provided between .each ofthe cars 15 and the'glued portions of the areas 9 and 11 (Fig; 1). A Thescored.port1ons or areas The device when made, is put into the formshown in boxes or the like. of the devices'may be put into a small packae so that they'are not burdensome to carry a out;

The cost of manufacture is low in so far as the shapes of the strips lmay be stam ed from properly scored paper, cardboard or As stated, Fig.3 represents the tee "as it rests in its carton at 'the time of sale-When one desiring to use a tee withdraws it from its container, theinherent tendency of the device will be such as to cause it to 1mageneral shape shown mediately assume the This is due to by dotted linesin Fig. 3.

In order to prepare'the tee for use, lt '1$ hold itby means of the gluedtail 23 formed by portions 9 and 11 and apply a pressure at the forwardlateral desire to apply a correction. -aids him in better applying thecorrectipn lines 3 may be 'provided, whereupon pressure is brought tobear on the most forwardly score line to open the deviceas described.

so that one of the spacesfsuch as.

target with regard to the ballat a point on the ball device are notglued as are the pork mentholds under the assumption that the player 3and'is so pack'edin relatively large number- The ears 15. willinherently be inverted, if a.

The tee is thus ready for use, and by placing a ball over the roundedcylindrical portion, said ball is properlyadapted to be driven by onesuch as a golfer. It is obvious that the ball will always beautomatically ball from dipping too fardown into the" hollow thereof.Hence the tee does not substantially interferewith the forwardvelocityof theball as it leaves the tee. The light construction of thetee also prevents such interference.

In Fig. 1 the vertical arrow represents or theg'like. It is evident thatif said player has pointed'the forward nose 17 of the tee inthedirection he wishes to drive, that the 25' will appear to himtangentially 10. v positioned at a uniform correct predetertheapproximate plane of sight of a player about to strike. the ball with asuitable club in which the ball should be struck in order to send it inthe said direction This statestance with regard to the ball.

The useof the target tends to preventwhatis known as topping the ball,or striking it high, whereupon it-immediatel bounds to the ground; aresult not desire This action is prevented or reduced by the Hence thetarget indithe ball also causes a player-to'assume a proper fact thatthe player focuses his eyes upon the rearward tangential part of theball; where it should be struck rather thanupon the center of the top,where it should not'be struck or struck at.

It is .to be understood that a player with an idlosyncrasy such asrequires him to strikea ball to one side in order to cause it to driveahead along the course, may yet take advantage of the target byofi'settlng the target a desired amount, that is, he may. I

The target of colored material, such as red, green, blue;

or other color, which will contrast well with the ball. being played andwhereby the target I may be distinctly viewed.

It is to be'ounderstoodthat the device:

v The effect ,at the g'ounded, cylindrical pore may be left, after adrive therefrom (in that it is inexpensive) or it may be quickly pickedup (if thought of) and carried in olded position to a new location; Thefolding operation requires mere pinching together of the portions 21 asthe.device is picked up. v

Figs 4 to 6 show a modified form of the device in which the fiat ungluedstrip of material of which the device is stamped and made, is putthrough a curling process.

Hence the scorelines may be dispensed with.

tion is such as would be had by employing any infinite number of scorelines, namely, a smooth curve. The effect of the curling operation iscanceled at the glued portion in so far .as the curling tendencies ofthe portions 9 and 11 areo posite. Hence a straight line is had.athetail 23. The target 25 is formed of ears 15 as before. Score lines19 separate the ears from the portions 9 and 11. The'target, inthisimodt fication,lis shown at a higher elevation for purposes ofillustration regarding flexibility of design. i

Similar numerals are used in this modification to designate partssimilar to parts of the preferred form. Accurately speaking, thismodification involves chiefly constructional changes. As in the case ofthe first form, .this form takes the solid line position shown in Fig.6, when packed in a carton or the like. It springs to the dotted lineposition when taken from its carton in so far as it has been bent withits curl concave inwardly. Pressure on the nose 17 (which is formed whenthe portions 9 and 11 are bent back) opens the device-to its Fig. 5position (see arrow, Fig. 6). Numerals 5 and 7 again indicate theline ofdemarcation between the portions 21 and the glued portions 9 and 11.

The remarks made regardingthe use and advantages of the preferred formobviously apply to this form.

It may be profitable to remark that the curling may be done on anymachine which will give a curled strip similar to one formed by drawinga strip between the thumb and -a knife or like blade.

Figs. 7 to 9 and 17 illustrate another modified form of this device inwhich a strip of the said material is laterally (vertically inapplication) scored by incisions'or scores 31, 33, 35 and 37. Thesescoresform areas or portions 39, 41, 48, 45 and 47. -The portion 47forms a wing or flap which is glued toone end of the side portion 39.The portion 45 has cut therefrom, but permitted to be downwardly hingedthereto, a target arm 49 carrying a target 51.

In F ig. v9, the score line33 is represented as having been pushedinwardly between portions or walls'39 and45 and said walls to the fullline Fig. 9*position.

brought together. The"ta-rget arm 49 and the target 51 thereon arewithin the notch y from which they were cut. This Fig.9 solid lineposition comprises the folded shape of the modified device whenpacked ina carton. It takes less space than the preferred form. lVhen the deviceis removed from its container or carto-n it assumes the dotted linespring position shown in 9. A score line or crease 53 may or may not beprovided at the juncture between the target arm 49'and the wall 45.

By inserting or wedging a finger in between the walls of thesprungdevice, it may readily be caused to take the formation illustrated in Fig. 8. Therear wall 45 is somewhat bent at a point beneaththe target mm 49 because the section thereof has been weakened bycutting out said 49 and the target 51. While the finger or the like isbeinginserted as described, the said arm 49 and target 51; maybe drawndownwardly,

as illustrated. 7 v

Next, by continuing the above described operation-the positionillustrated in Fig. 17 is reached. When the finger is withdrawn,

the walls 43. and 41 remain substantiallyof said triangle. Obviously,ifaball or the like is mounted on or' cradled in the triangular piece orcylinder, the target 51 will indicate to an observer above, where theball should be struck in order to drive it ahead-- in the directionpointed to by the apex 31 of the triangle. It is to be understood thatthe target arm 49 is long enough to' permit projection of the target 51from the ball in substantially vertical or near vertical projec-'ti-on.1The top edge of the target 51 may,

before cutting, have formed the top edge of wall 45 or it may not havedone so, depending upon the relative heights of tee and target armrequired for a given player and/or ball. The rear wall 45 is illustratedas being bent slightly rearwardly in Fig, 17. This is the result of theweight of the ball tending to slightly bend the wall at the point ofcuttins of the target arm.

The advantages regarding the setting, aiming and striking either theball and, or tee, stated in regard to-the preferred form and the firstmodified form hold for this form.

In order to fold this form for carriage,

afteruse, it is only necessary to press the score line 33- inwardly,raise the target arm 49, and clamp thewalls 39 and 45 together. Thisinvolves passage through the Fig. 8 position, through the dotted Fig.9position,

more cheaply made and may'or may not employ the target feature. Ofcourse any of the forms may dispense with'the target feature but thisone is illustratedwithout it.

like stamped or cut with-notches 57 and '59 formed on oppositesides-thereof, near opposite ends; QSee solid lines Figs.12 and 13). Thenotches are of a length substantially one-half that of the Width of thestrip 55.. This strip 5'5 is then, or may have" been before cutting,curled (as al ready described) so that it tends to assume the alternatepositionishownin Fig. 13.

als

Then by bringing opposite ends of the strip 55 together and registeringand interlocking the notches 57 and 59, the position illustrated inFigs." 10 and His assumed by the device. This is somewhat drop-shaped insection. The portions 61 and .63 form rearwardly' extending wings which,if extended, will form a target. In

this case the ball is to be struck between the projections of -theindicators orwings 61 and 63.

The advantages of the foregoing forms pertain tOfthlS one, with theadvantage here of cheaper construction. It is thought that the doubletwisting required to shape this onemay cause it to be somewhat lessaccurate than the other. Its compactness when not interlocked for playis' self evi-.

dent. a

Another form of the device is illustrated .in Figs. 14 to 16. Herea'preferably metalhe sheet'65, such as of sheet lead or the like,stamped rectangularly' or of other shape. This shape has more orlesscentrally cut or stamped therefrom a cross-.

shaped or cruciform area 67. The area 67 comprises a. centralrectangular or like opening '69 from the corners of which ektendradiating openings 71. The' openings 71 become narrower as they approachthe central opening 69.

form into operative position for play, the -finger portions 7 3 formedbetween the slots or openings 71 are bent upwardly on lines such as 75.The

lines 75 are not necessarily specific scoreor crease lines but they-maybe. The ball to be playedis rested on the top edges of the portions 73.The tapering feature of the slots '71 permits of a relatively smallopening 69 for a given-size of slots and a givenangle at portions 73.I-I e'nce the ballis not permitted to unnecessarily dip too far downbelow the upper edges. The elongated feature of the opening 69 gives alongitudinal track-like effect from which-the; ball may be effectivelydriven. If desired,

This modification comprises a preferablyv rectangular strip of cardboardor the tion in all forms insures beside the advan: tages enumerated,uniform height forteer the opening need notbe made elongated. The factthat the opening 69 is relatively small would permit of its being madesquare 1 or of other shape'without seriously blocking the flight of theball." It is to be un derstood that the flat portions of the piece.- maybeformed as a target to be Visible tangentially with regard to the ball.I

It isobvious that the described construeing of balls; prevents soilingof hands as when using sand tees or'those' which re jquire a piercing ofthe soil therebeneath;

prevents blocking the flight of a ball when struck; insures accuracysuch as tees which areroughly torn from a: perforated strip the groundare almost rendered useless-when the teeing ground is baked hard 'by the.sun

or. softened by rains' This type ofpushed}v in tee also tends to blockthe forward-flight of a ball while the presentone itself moves; insteadof tending-to block the struck ball.

One more modification of the device is il- I For purposes of packing,the cup-shaped lustrated in .Figs. 18 to 20.; This comprises I ionpieces may be nested, as illustrated in Fig.

20. I These pieces are light and neither block the flight of the ballnor make a clumsy package'to. be carried. They may be pro' vided invarious conoidal forms and may have a target formed therewith, ifdesired.

In view ofjthe above, it is believed that the various features of thisinvention will be clear without further elaboration, and it will be seenthat with the apparatus hereindescribed, the several objects of theinvention are achieved an attained. I

As manychanges could be made in carry ing out the above constructionwithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is d' other.advantageous results intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription or shown in theaccomlustrative'and not in a limiting sense.

I- claim: i

panying drawings shall be interpreted as ilt 1. A tee comprising a stripof pliablemateriahlateral score lines thereon, fiat'portions at the endsof the strip adapted to be m held together and target formed at thetionsat the ends of the strip adaptedto be held together whereby thescored portions are cylindrically formed and a target formed at the flatportions.

3. A't'ee comprising a strip of pliable curled material, flat'portionsat theends of the strip adapted to be held together and a target formedat the flat portions.

, 4'. A tee comprising a strip of pliable curled material, 'flatportions at the ends of the strip adapted to be held together wherebythe unfastenedcurled portions are cylinflat portions.

5. A tee comprisinga strip of pliable madricallv formed and a targetformed at the terial, lateral score lines thereon jwhereby two walls anda centrally scored :wall are formed and a flap on one of said twoadapted to be fastenedto the other of said two walls, and a targethinged to. the said first named unseored wall. .v

6. A tee comprising a stri of pliablematwo walls and a centrally scoredwall are formed and a flap on-one of said two walls adapted to befastened to the other of said two walls, and a target partially cut fromandlhinged to the said first named unscored wa .v

In testimony whereof,' I have signed my name to this specification this23d day of October, 1925.

. WlLLlAM E. HICKS.

'terial, lateral score lines t ereon whereby

